


i love girls with ex boyfriends that they aren't really over

by stefonzolesky



Category: Arrested Development
Genre: F/F, broken gals find solace in one another, title from looking like you just woke up by the front bottoms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-18
Updated: 2018-02-18
Packaged: 2019-03-20 16:30:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13721613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stefonzolesky/pseuds/stefonzolesky
Summary: Maeby goes to work early the next morning. She keeps her phone off, she downs three cups of coffee while she’s reading over shitty scripts, and she doesn’t turn her phone back on until lunch, where she has no texts and five missed calls from Ann Veal.





	i love girls with ex boyfriends that they aren't really over

Maeby finds Ann sitting outside of a corner store with a cigarette in her hand, which is the Ann Veal equivalent of finding her in Hell.

She does a runthrough to make sure she has the name right and hesitates before she sits down. “Ann,” She says. “Hey.”

Ann doesn’t look at her. “You remember my name this time.” She laughs bitterly. “Nice.”

“Why are you smoking?” Maeby asks the question before she can stop herself. “I mean, I thought you were all righteous and shit. Isn’t smoking against the Bible or something?”

“Not really.” Ann puts out the cigarette on her jeans, and Maeby thinks that she’s acting very un-Ann-like, but she doesn’t say anything about it. “I just thought I should use my last chance to do something unhealthy before I have to be a good role model and everything.” She hesitates. “Yeah. I… I’m pregnant.”

“Fuck!” Maeby laughs a little, and then tries to wipe the expression from her face. “Sorry. Right. Does that mean this kid is my cousin and everything? Didn’t you marry my uncle?”

Ann sighs heavily, but the laugh from Maeby managed to get a smile out of her either way. “I don’t know. I didn’t marry him, and I don’t think it’s his kid. There’s always that possibility, but…” She trails off and ends with a shrug. “It’s whatever, I guess.”

“You’re really letting yourself go, then,” Maeby points out. “Sorry. That was uncalled for. I mean… I get it, I guess. My family sucks. Do you still… do you still love my uncle, or whatever?”

“I mean…” Ann shrugs. “I guess so. I really wish I didn’t.”

Maeby nods. “I get that. I still like a guy that I wish I didn’t.”

“Steve Holt?” Ann raises an eyebrow.

Maeby shakes her head. “George Michael.”

Ann’s nose scrunches up. “Isn’t he your cousin.”

“Yeah.” Maeby laughs sadly. “Not biologically, or whatever, but yeah. It doesn’t sound good in any situation. And Steve Holt is my cousin too, so that wouldn’t be any better.”

“You’re right about that.” Ann laughs, and as much as Maeby hates to admit it, it’s nice to hear Ann laugh. She pins it on the fact that it was really bumming her out to see Ann moping around and leaves it at that.

There’s an awkward silence, and Maeby coughs to break it. “So, uh, other than the whole pregnancy thing, how have you been?”

“Not the greatest,” Ann admits. “I’ve been hanging in there, though.”

“That’s… good, then,” Maeby mutters. “I could say the same thing. It’s just, like, you know what it’s like to be ignored, right?” Pause. “Sorry about that, by the way.”

“It’s fine. I’m used to it.” Ann shrugs. “Go ahead.”

Maeby smiles sympathetically. “It’s like, I’ve been trying to get my parents to acknowledge me for years, but they haven’t been. I’m gonna flunk out of high school until they do.”

“Isn’t that a little extreme?” Ann tilts her head. “I mean, my parents aren’t among the people who forget about me, but I wouldn’t exactly go to those lengths.”

“Nothing about me is lowkey, Ann,” Maeby promises her with a soft laugh. She checks the time on her phone and swears under her breath. “I have to go. Sorry.” She hesitates and then moves to press a quick kiss to Ann’s lips. “I’ll get your number from George Michael or something and call you, alright?”

Ann nods, and Maeby can taste her lips long after she’s gone.

 

to: **george michael:**

  * hey do you have ann veal’s phone number



 

from: **george michael:**

  * Yeah
  * Why do you want it?



 

to: **george michael:**

  * that’s not important
  * jus send it my way



 

from: **george michael:**

  * 949-456-9879



 

to: **george michael:**

  * thanks cos



 

Despite getting Ann’s number so quickly, Maeby is… hesitant about calling her. Though eventually, her fear of being caught hanging out with someone who hardly has a face (at least, that’s what she tells herself she’s scared of) is overcome by her worry for Ann Veal.  

The phone rings twice before Ann answers. “Hello?”

“Hey,” Maeby says. “It’s Maeby. I got your number from George Michael like I said I would.” Pause. “Did you wanna go to dinner tonight, or something? To catch up more.”

Maeby can practically hear Ann smile on the other end. “Yeah. Yeah, sure thing. Text me the information.”

So, Maeby Fünke finds herself sitting alone at a semi-fancy restaurant with her most recent paycheck in her pocket, nerves making her stomach flip while she waits for Ann.

She hates to admit it, but she has _fun._ She confides in Ann about her movie executive situation, and Ann talks about the trouble that comes with being practically walked out on.

“I called Steve Holt,” She says. “And let me tell you, he’s been through a lot.”

“Yeah?” Maeby stirs her drink. “What happened?”

“Well, I almost met up with him.” Ann grimaces. “It didn’t happen, and I’m glad, because I could hardly ever hold a normal conversation with him, and I _was_ almost his mother-in-law. It would’ve been pretty weird. He’s running a pest control business now.”

“Pest control, huh?” Maeby laughs. “I always saw him on a sports team or something. He finally graduated, though, right? That’s cool. I haven’t.”

“I still don’t think you should stay in high school,” Ann admits. Her hand curls around her glass of water, but she doesn’t drink any of it. “I feel like that could backfire.”

Maeby rolls her eyes. “Don’t worry. I have it under control.”

Ann presses her lips into a thin line. “If you say so.” She takes a sip of her water and wipes her mouth on the back of her hand. “So, uh, what else is new? How’s George Michael?”

“I don’t really talk to him much,” Maeby admits. “He went off to college and everything, so he’s been busy.”

“Do you miss him?” Ann blurts, and then covers her mouth. There’s a heavy silence. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have… I know you said that you still like him, or whatever.”

“It’s fine,” Maeby promises. “He’s doing alright, and I need to focus on myself. I haven’t given missing him the time of day, and I don’t really want to either.”

Ann nods. “I get it. I think I’ve focused on getting over Gob so much that it’s become hard, even though he was… such an asshole.” She pauses. “Is it weird for me to say that? I know he’s your uncle and all…”

Maeby waves it off. “That’s fine. I don’t really view anyone in my family as family at this point. If that makes any sense. Like, yeah, they’re my family, but it feels like a whole separate thing.”

 

The hours melt away, and Maeby ends up feeling a little buzzed, even though she’s only been drinking soda. They leave the restaurant at eleven o’clock. Maeby thinks this might be the most content she’s felt in a while.

Ann shifts her bag on her shoulder. “I’ll see you another time, then?”

Maeby hesitates. She opens her mouth to answer, but instead, leans over a few inches and cups Ann’s face in her hands. Her lips taste like Sprite.

When she pulls away, Maeby immediately apologizes. She tucks a stray hair behind her ear and goes home as fast as she can.

She turns her phone off and watches TV until she passes out on the couch. It’s a night full of brimming panic and bottled emotions, but she’s Maeby Fünke. She’ll be fine.

 

Maeby goes to work early the next morning. She keeps her phone off, she downs three cups of coffee while she’s reading over shitty scripts, and she doesn’t turn her phone back on until lunch, where she has no texts and five missed calls from Ann Veal. Naturally, Ann doesn’t like texting. It seems just like her.

Maeby steps outside to call her back, but she doesn’t expect Ann to yell in her ear as soon as she picks up.

“What the fuck, Maeby?” She sounds exasperated.

Maeby can’t help but laugh. “That’s profane.”

Ann groans. “Shut up. I couldn’t sleep last night because of you.”

“You sure it was because of me?” Maeby asks. “Could have been the whole pregnancy thing.”

“Yes, I’m sure it was because of you,” Ann snaps. “Sorry for being so pissy, I’m just--” She makes a frustrated noise. “Everything has gotten to be so much, and you ran off on me last night.”

“Yeah.” Maeby grimaces. “Sorry about that. I panicked a little bit. I don’t panic.” She insists on the last part, more like she’s trying to convince herself.

Ann sighs. “That’s fine. I get it. I just-- I feel like I deserve some answers, after the way you left.”

Maeby bites her lip. After a moment of hesitation, she speaks up. “You’re right. Text me your address, I’ll pick you up after work.”

 

So Ann texts Maeby her address, and Maeby picks her up after work. In all honesty, she doesn’t know why she’s doing this. She swears under her breath when she sees Ann leave the house.

The ride starts off in silence. Maeby doesn’t know where she’s driving.

Finally, she decides to break through the silence before it suffocates her. “Are you still living with your parents?”

“Yeah,” Ann says quietly. “I’m trying to get a job right now, so I can actually afford to move out. I’m sure that they’d pay for an apartment if I got one, but this is a lot easier.”

“You’re eighteen, right?” Maeby tries to keep her eyes on the road.

Ann hums a confirmation next to her, and then adds. “Almost nineteen. Growing up _sucks.”_

“You’re telling me that?” Maeby laughs. “I had to grow up too fast. I started working as a movie exec when I was _fifteen._ My parents have constantly fought ever since I was a kid.”

Ann grimaces. “That must suck,” She says. “Do you wanna talk about anything?”

Maeby shakes her head. “It’s fine. I don’t know. When did you become so easy to talk to?” She glances at Ann for half a second before turning her attention back to the road.

“I’m a really good listener,” Ann explains. “Because nobody ever wants to listen to me. So I listen to them instead.” She pauses for a second. “Where are we going?”

“I don’t know,” Maeby admits. “I never had a plan. I just wanted to, uh, apologize. For last night and everything. And for not explaining myself.”

“There’s not that much to explain,” Ann promises her. “I don’t know why you did… what you did, but--”

Maeby laughs. “You can say it, you know. I kissed you. I’m not afraid of it or anything, and if you are, you shouldn’t be.”

“My parents wouldn’t be very happy with it,” Ann explains. “But yeah. I don’t know why you… why you kissed me, but I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.”

“Maybe it’s because we never finished the kiss.” Maeby swears internally. That didn’t work last time, so she knows it won’t work this time. She decides to explain herself before Ann starts to think she’s stupid. “Ignore that. That was something I told George Michael when I was, like, fifteen just so I could kiss him again.”

It’s obvious that Ann is physically trying to not look grossed out. Maeby can’t help but appreciate the effort. “You’re really hung up on him, huh?”

“I try not to be.” Maeby laughs. “Let’s not talk about him. Let’s talk about what happened last night.”

Ann chuckles quietly. “Yeah. That was… something.” She bites down on her lower lip like she’s afraid that she might say more.

 

And suddenly, Maeby knows where she’s driving. She pulls off towards the side of the road, into a gas station parking lot, and turns off the engine as fast as she can. Before she knows it, she’s leaning over the middle of the seats and kissing Ann. And she doesn’t believe it, but Ann is kissing her back.

When they break apart, Maeby’s cheeks are red and Ann is panting. She runs a hand through her hair and avoids looking Maeby in the eye.

Maeby laughs. It’s a little strangled, a little confused. “I was always on my Uncle’s side,” She admits. “I never saw what George Michael and Gob saw in you.”

“Gee, thanks.” Ann scoffs. She still refuses to look Maeby in the eye. Her cheeks go a little pink.

“I don’t mean that in a bad way,” Maeby tries to cover. “If I didn’t see it now, I never would have brought it up.”

“That’s… sweet.” Ann says ‘that’s sweet’ like she needs to evaluate exactly what she’s saying and let her brain catch up to what’s going on.

Maeby frowns. “If you didn’t like the kiss, we can just act like it didn’t happen and go back to driving around aimlessly. I won’t be offended.”

Ann ghosts her fingers over her own lips gently. “It’s fine. I… Yeah. Don’t worry about it. I didn’t… I didn’t not like it.”

“Is that right?” Maeby can’t help but laugh. Her heart is racing. “What are we gonna do about it, then?”

She swears that she can hear Ann say “fuck it” under her breath, and suddenly, they’re kissing again. Again.

She disconnects their lips to breathe and then draws herself closer again. It’s like she’s trying to fill a hole that she didn’t know was there, but for some reason, it’s _working._ She doesn’t feel so empty anymore.

“I’m sorry,” Ann says on the break.

Maeby shakes her head. “So am I.”

 

Ann’s kiss has a sort of desperate quality to it, like she’s been touch starved all her life. She tastes like mint gum or sprite, and it reminds Maeby of when you drink something cold after you brush your teeth and it feels like you’re chewing on ice.

It’s… it’s a lot nicer than she ever would have thought.

 

The next time they break the kiss, Ann stops Maeby before she goes for more. “What’s your angle?”

“What?” Maeby straightens out her back. “My angle?”

“Well, yeah.” Ann shrugs. She refuses to make eye contact. “People usually have an angle. It’s not like I’m very desirable or anything.”

Maeby holds her hands in a surrender. “I don’t have an angle. I’m just…” Her mouth feels dry all of the sudden. “I’m just lonely, and you’re kinda alright at kissing.”

Ann laughs, her gaze still averted. “Trying to fill a gap, huh?”

“I guess so,” Maeby admits, looking ashamed, or something. Ann just takes that as an invitation to kiss her again.

 

The two of them will never be perfect halves to a whole, or whatever Michael has always preached about true love and soulmates and all that _bullshit_ , but maybe it’s nice to have someone to help you out when you’re down. And hey, this is bound to get Maeby the attention from her parents she’s always wanted.


End file.
